Eyeglass display unit

ABSTRACT

A display unit for mounting eyeglasses and the like, said display unit having a body panel with integrally formed top and base flanges which, respectively, are adapted to releasably attach the body panel to a vertical wall or support the body panel in an upright position on a horizontal surface. The body panel has a plurality of vertically spaced and laterally opposed apertures and a plurality of eyeglass support elements. Each element is releasably attached to the body panel at a point midway between each pair of laterally opposed apertures, whereby an eyeglass frame may be mounted on the forward edge of a support element while the temples of the eyeglass frame extend rearwardly and are carried within opposed apertures associated with the elements.

I Unlted States Patent 1191 1111 3, 50

Dunchock Dec. 9, 1975 4 [5 1 EYEGLASS DISPLAY UNIT I FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [75] Inventor RiFhard Dunchock, Northville, 1,421,487 11/1965 France 248/DIG. 2 Mlch- 131,557 5/1929 Switzerland... 211/87 111,208 7/1944 Sweden 248/124 [73] Asslgnee' a l? Corpommn Femdale 670,172 1/1937 Germany 211/59 10,079 7/1887 United Kingdom 211/13 [22] Filed: Aug. 28, 1974 Primary ExaminerRoy D. Frazier [211 App! 50l178 Assistant ExaminerThomas J. Holko Attorney, Agent, or FirmBasile and Weintraub [52] US. Cl. 211/13; 211/87; 248/126;

51 I t Cl 248/D1G. 2 57 ABSTRACT g i 5 2 A display unit for mounting eyeglasses and the like, 248/126 124 5 6 said display unit having a body panel with integrally D 47 A formed top and base flanges which, respectively, are

adapted to releasably attach the body panel to a vertical wall or support the body panel in an upright posi- [56] UNI References Cited tion on a horizontal surface. The body panel has a plu- TED STATES PATENTS rality of vertically spaced and laterally opposed aper- 1,529,347 3/1925 Dawson 248/DIG. 2 UX tures and a plurality of eyeglass support elements. 1,716,863 6/1929 Morris et a1 136/1 14 UX Each element is releasably attached to the pane] g 211/13 x at a point midway between each pair of laterally op- 2764286 gjlgs z 248/ posed apertures, whereby an eyeglass frame may be 2949683 8/1960 e Egg 2 mounted on the forward edge of a support element 3:O89:269 5/1963 McKiern z rn ZIIIII:: 2e8/DIG. 391 while the temples of the eyeglass frame extend rear 3,333,708 8/1967 LeBlanc et a1 248/DIG. 2 x y f are Carried Within pp apertures a580- 3,351,208 11/1967 Siege] 248/D1G. 2 x lat d w1th the elements. 3,352,425 11/1967 Burke 248/D1G. 2 X 3,473,671 10/1969 Gangitano 211/87 x 14 10 D'awmg F'gures Sheet 1 of 2 U8. Patent Dec. 9, 1975 US. Patent Dec. 9, 1975 Sheet 2 of2 3,924,750

EYEGLASS I DISPLAY UNIT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION I. Field of the Invention The present invention relates toa new and usefulimprovement in display stands and units and, more particularly, to a display unit which may be selectively mounted to a vertical wall or disposed in an upright position on a horizontal support.

II. Description of the Prior Art Heretofore, numerous devices and apparatus have been employed to display eyeglasses for facilitating the viewing of the glasses as well as to provide the customer with access to the glasses. Examples of such display units are disclosed in US. Pat. Nos. 1,315,326, 1,913,385, 2,024,384, 3,806,608, 3,333,708, 3,351,208 and Design U.S. Pat. No. 211,067.

While the display units disclosed in the aforementioned Patents have provided various means for displaying eyeglasses, none of the devices provide a simple, attractive and inexpensive unit which may be used to display eyeglasses on either a vertical wall or on a horizontal support as desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention which will be described subsequently in greater detail comprises a display unit having a body panel on which is mounted means for carrying a plurality of vertically disposed eyeglasses. The panel has means for selectively mounting the same on a vertical wall or a horizontal support.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved display unit for the mounting and display of eyeglasses.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a display unit for the mounting of eyeglasses wherein the eyeglasses are securely attached to the display unit but may be simply removed and replaced, as desired.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a display unit wherein the temples of the eyeglasses are supported by a plurality of opposed apertures in the face of the display unit while the nose bridge of the eyeglasses is supported by a support element which, in turn, is releasably attached to the display unit.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a display unit having all the aforementioned advantages yet one which is extremely simple in its design, and thus, economical to manufacture.

Other objects, advantages and applications of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art of display units for eyeglasses and the like when the accompanying description of the best mode contemplated for practicing the invention is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The description herein makes reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of .an eyeglass display unit mounted to a vertical wall; I, j

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the eyeglass display unitillustrated in FIG. 1; A

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the eyeglass display unit illustrated in FIG. 1 with the display unit being shown supported on a horizontal surface;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged, partially sectioned view of the eyeglass display unit illustrated in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the eyeglass display unit illustrated in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of an eyeglass display unit being shown supported on a horizontal surface;

FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of the eyeglass display unit illustrated in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the eyeglass display unit illustrated in FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary enlarged, partially section view of the eyeglass display unit illustrated in FIG. 8; and

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the eyeglass display unit illustrated in FIG. 9.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings and, in particular, to FIG. 1 wherein there is illustrated one example of the present invention in the form of a display unit 10 which is utilized to support a plurality of eyeglasses 12 to facilitate the marketing of the eyeglasses 12. It should be understood that the term eyeglasses refers to the numerous types of eye-glasses that are commercially available, such as prescription eyeglasses and sunglasses as well as non prescription sunglasses. The display unit 10 comprises a rectangularly shaped body panel 14 having an integrally formed top flange 16 that is disposed in a plane that is perpendicular to the plane of the body panel 14. The extending end of the top flange 16 is bent downwardly to define a mounting flange 18 which, in turn, has a pair of laterally spaced hanging apertures 20 through which dowel-like fastening members 22 extending for the purpose of facilitating the removable mounting of the display unit l0to a vertical wall 24.

The lower portion of the body panel 14 has a rearward projecting, integrally formed base flange 26 which is inclined with respect to the plane within which the body panel 14 is disposed and, said can best be seen in FIG. 3, the angle of inclination is preferably As can also be seen in FIG. 3, the perpendicular distance D from the outer face of the body panel 14 to the rearwardly facing surface 25 (FIG. 3) of the mounting flange 18 is equal to the distance D which is the perpendicular distance from the outer face of the body panel 14 to the outer edge 28 of the base flange 26. Thus, when the display unit 10 is mounted to a vertical wall 24 such that fastening members 22 extend through the hanging apertures 20, the rearwardly facing surface 25 of the bent mounting flange 18 rests against the vertical wall 24, while at the same time the longitudinal edge 28 of the base flange 26 similarly rests against the vertical wall 24. Since the distances D and D' are equal, the rectangularly shapedbody panel 14 will be disposed in a vertical plane, as illustrated in FIG. 1.

As can best be seen in FIG. 2, the rectangularly shaped body panel 14 is provided with a series of vertically spaced and horizontally opposed circular apertures or slots 30 that are formed at selected locations inwardly spaced from the side edges of the body panel 14. Centered between each pair of horizontally opposed circular slots 30, the body panel 14 is provided with key holes 32 that are disposed along a common vertical center line. As can best be seen in FIG. 2 the horizontal center line for each key hole 32 is vertically upwardly spaced above the horizontally aligned cener lines of each opposed pair of circular slots 30 for a purpose to be described hereinafter. Each of the key holes 32 is circular in shape and has a narrow slotted section 34 at the top thereof (see FIG. 4).

As can best be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3 the body panel 14 is provided with a brace member 36 that has one edge affixed to the backside of the body panel 14 while the brace members upper and lower edges are, respectively, affixed to the bottom surface of the top flange 16 and the upper surface of the base flange 26. The brace member 36 may be attached to the several members of the display unit by any suitable means such as by an adhesive or the like. As can best be seen in FIG. 2 the brace member 36 is attached to the body panel 14 at a position which is laterally spaced from the key holes 32 for facilitating the insertion of one end of a plurality of eyeglass support elements 38 into the key holes 32 for the purpose of attaching the eyeglass support elements 38 to the front face of the body panel 14.

As can best be seen in FIGS. 4 and 5 each of the eyeglass support elements 38 comprises a generally cylindrically shaped stem portion 40 having an annular slot 42 formed on the top side of its forwardly projecting end. Immediately adjacent and rearwardly spaced of the annular slot 42, the cylindrically shaped stem portion 40 is provided with a radially disposed upstanding post 44 which is attached to the stem portion 40 by any suitable means, such as an adhesive or the like.

As can best be seen in FIG. 5 the inner end of the eyeglass support element 38 has a reduced section 46 which defines a shoulder 48 that is adapted to abut the outside surface of the body panel 14 when the reduced diameter section 46 is inserted within one of the key holes 32. As can also be seen in FIG. 5 the reduced diameter section 46 of the support element 38 has a key flange 50 which is adapted to be inserted within the narrow slotted section 34 of the key hole 32 such that upon insertion of the eyeglass support element 38 into the key hole 32, the eyeglass support element 38 is restrained from rotational movement with respect to the body panel 14. In addition to being restrained against rotational movement, the annular slot 42 and the radial post 44 are properly aligned with respect to the body panel 14 simply upon inserting the support element 38 into any one of key holes 32.

The outermost end of each reduced section 46 of the elements 38 is threaded at 52 and adapted to threadedly engage a conventional nut 54 for the purpose of securely clamping the shoulder 48 against the outer surface of the body panel 14 whereby the eyeglass support element 38 is removably attached to the body panel 14. It should be noted that the reduced diameter section 46 has an unthreaded portion associated with the key flange 50 that is equal in length to the width of the body panel 14.

This arrangement for mounting the support elements 38 to the face of the body panel 14 provides a simple and inexpensive means for the mounting of a post-like member in a perpendicular fashion to the body panel 14, yet one which may be simply and inexpensively removed and replaced in the event it is damaged or otherwise becomes unusable for the purposes to be described hereinafter.

In use eyeglasses 12 are supported and displayed on the display unit 10 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 1. The eyeglasses 12 are conventional in their construction and comprise lens frames 56 connected by a bridge portion 58 while side arms or temples 60 are hingedly connected to the frames 56 in the customary manner. In the mounting of the eyeglasses 12 to the display unit 10, the side arms or temples 60 are inserted into the pair of opposed circular slots 30 while the bridge portion 58 is seated on the annular slot 42 at the extended end of the support element 38. Such an arrangement results in a slight upward slant of the eyeglasses 12 as the support element 38 is mounted at a position slightly upwardly from the center of the circular slots 30, as aforementioned. To this end the radial post 44 restrains the bridge 58 of the eyeglasses 12 from moving out of the slot 42 and downwardly across the top of the cylindrically shaped stem portion 40 and against the forward face of the body panel 14.

It is intended that the display unit 10 be mounted on a vertical wall 24 as aforementioned, however, it is also desired that the display unit 10 be mounted in conjunction with a plurality of such display units, and the potential customer upon viewing eyeglassses so mounted may remove one or more display units 10 and mount the same on a table simply by resting the display unit 10 on its base flange 26 as illustrated in FIG. 3 whereupon individual glasses 12 may be simply and easily removed from the display unit 10 for close inspection by the customer.

Referring now to FIG. 6 of the drawing wherein there is illustrated a second example of the present invention in the form of a display unit 100 which is used in the same manner as the display unit 10 in that it supports a plurality of eyeglasses 12. The display unit 100 comprises a rectangularly shaped body panel 114 having an integrally formed top flange 116 that is disposed in a plane that is inclined 100 degrees with respect to the plane of the body panel 114. The extending end of the top flange 116 has a pair of laterally spaced hanging apertures 120 through which suitable fastening members (not shown) extend for the purpose of facilitating the removable mounting of the display unit 100 to a vertical wall in a manner similar to the mounting of the display device 10 as aforementioned.

The lower portion of the body panel 114 has a rearward projecting integrally formed base flange 126 which is parallel to the top flange 116 and which is also inclined with respect to the plane within which the body panel 14 is disposed. As can best be seen in FIG. 8, the angle of inclination between the body panel 114 and the base flange 126 is preferably As can also be seen in FIG. 8, the distance from the outer face of the body panel 114 to the rearwardly facing edge of the top flange 116 is equal to the distance from the outer face of the body panel 1 14 to the outer edge of the base flange 126. Thus, when the display unit, is mounted to a vertical wall 24 such that suitable fastening members extend through the hanging apertures 120, the rearwardly facing edges of the top flange 116 rest against the vertical wall 24, while at the same time the longitudinal edge of the base flange 126 also rests against the vertical wall 24, and the rectangularly shaped body panel 114 will be disposed in a vertical plane in the same manner as the display unit 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings.

As can best be seen in FIG. 7, the rectangularly shaped body panel 114 is provided with a series of vertically spaced and horizontally opposed circular slots 130 that are formed at selected locations inwardly spaced from the side edges of, the body panel l14. Cen'- tered between each pair of horizontally opposed circular slots 130, the body panel 114 .is provided with rectangular key holes 132 that are vertically upwardly spaced above the horizontally aligned center linesof each opposed pair of circular slots 130 for a purpose to be described hereinafter. As can best be seenin FIGS. 7 and 8, the body panel 114 is provided with a pair of brace members 136, each of which has one edge affixed to the backside of the body panel 114 while each brace members upper and lower edges are, re-. spectively, affixed to the bottom surface of the top flange 116 and the upper surface of the base flange 126. Each brace member 136 may be attached to the several members of the display unit 100 by any suitable means such as by an adhesive or the like. As can best be seen in FIG. 7, each brace member 136 is attached to the body panel 114 at a position .which is laterally spaced from the key holes 132 for facilitating the insertion of one end of a plurality of eyeglass support elements 138 into the key holes 132 for the purpose of attaching the eyeglass support elements 138 tothe front face of the body panel 114.

As can best be seen in FIGS. 9 and 10, each of the eyeglass support elements 138 comprises a generally rectangularly shaped stem portion 140 having a slot 142 formed on the top side of its forwardly projecting end.

Immediately adjacent and rearwardly spaced of the slot 142, the stem portion 140 is provided with a radially disposed upstanding post 144. i

As can best be seen in FIG. 10, the inner end of the eyeglass support element 138 has a reduced section 146 which defines a shoulder 148 that is adapted to abut the outside surface of the body panel 114 when the reduced diameter section 146 is inserted within one of the key holes 132. The element 138 is restrained from rotational movement with respect to the body panel 114 because of its rectangular shape. In addition to restraining the element 138 against rotational movement, the slot 142 and the radial post 144 are both properly aligned with respect to the body panel 114 simply upon inserting the support element 138 into any one of the key holes 132. The opposite sides of the stem portion 140 have wing members 150 which add to the strength and rigidity of the stern portion 140 while shoulders 152 formed on each member 150 abut the front surface of the body panel 114 to prevent the stem portion 140 from bending.

The outermost end of each element 138 has a pair of flexible flanges 154 which are separated by a V-Shaped recess. The flanges 154 are movable toward each other to permit insertion of the flanges 154 through the slots 132 and then away for the purpose of securely clamping the shoulders against the outer surface of the body panel 114 whereby the eyeglass support element 138 is removably attached to the body panel 1 14. The flanges 154 are expandable after insertion into the slots 132 to lockingly engage the elements 138 to the body panel 114.

This arrangement for mounting the support elements 138 to the face of the body panel 1 14 provides a simple and inexpensive means for mounting a post-like member in a perpendicular fashion to the body panel 114, yet one which may be simply and inexpensively removed and replaced in the event it is damaged or othhereinbefore and as also illustrated. In the mounting of the eyeglasses 12 to the display unit 100, the side arms or temples 60 are inserted into the pair of opposed circular slots while the bridge portion 58 is seated in the slot 142 at the extended end of the support element 138. Such an arrangement results in a slight upward slant of the eyeglasses 12 as the support element 138 is mounted at a position slightly upwardly from the center of the circular slots 130, as aforementioned. To this end, the radial post 144 restrains the bridge 58 of the eyeglasses 12 from moving out of the slot 142 and downwardly across the top of the stem portion and against the forward face of the body panel 114.

It is intended that the display unit 10 be mounted on a vertical wall as aforementioned, however, it is also desired that the display unit 10 be mounted in conjunction with a plurality of such display units and the potential customer upon viewing eyeglasses so mounted may remove one or more display units 100 and mount the same on a table simply be resting the display unit 10 on its base flange 126 as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 8 whereupon individual glasses 12 may be simply and easily removed from the display unit 100 for close inspection by the customer.

To this end, the display unit 100 is provided with a pair of L-shaped supports 160, each of which has an intermediate portion 162 which, in conjunction with the base section 164 of the support 160, defines a slot 166. The slot 166 receives the outer edge of the base flange 126. The opposite ends of each support extend forwardly and rearwardly of the base flange 126 to aid in supporting the display unit 100 in an upright position.

It can thus be seen that the present invention has provided new and improved eyeglass display units which are extremely simple in construction and which can be releasably mounted to a vertical wall or placed on a horizontal support.

Although only two forms of the present invention have been disclosed, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art of eyeglass display units that other forms may be had, all coming within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A display unit for eyeglasses and the like, said display unit comprising:

a body panel having an integrally formed top flange extending behind said body panel for mounting said body panel to a vertical wall, said body panel having an integrally formed base flange extending behind said body panel for supporting said body panel in an upright position, said base flange being disposed in a plane which is inclined with respect to the plane within which said body panel is disposed, the perpendicular distance from the face of said body panel to the outer edge of said top flange being equal to the perpendicular distance from said body panel face to the outer edge of said base flange, whereby said body panel is disposed in a vertical plane when said top flange outer edge is attached to said vertical wall and said base flange outer edge rests against said vertical wall;

said body panel having a plurality of vertically spaced pairs of opposed apertures; and

a plurality of eyeglass support elements carried by said body panel at vertically spaced locations between each pair of opposed apertures.

2. The display unit defined in claim 1 wherein said eyeglass support elements are each-individually releasably attached to said body panel.

3. The display unit defined in claim 2 wherein each of said eyeglass support elements comprises a stem por tion having at one end a reduced diameter section forming a shoulder which abuts the outer surface of said body panel when said reduced section is inserted through a bore disposed between said opposed apertures the outermost end of said reduced section being threaded to receive a nut to securely attach said element to said body panel.

4. The display unit defined in claim 3 wherein each of said eyeglass support elements further comprises at the forward end of the stem portion, an annular slot for receiving the bridge portion of a pair of eyeglasses and a radially upwardly extending post located at the upper end of said stem portion adjacent said annular slot for restraining said eyeglasses from movement from said annular slot toward said body panel.

5. The display unit defined in claim 3 wherein said body panel has a plurality of vertically spaced bores each of which is disposed in lateral arrangement between said opposed apertures said bores each having a non-circular configuration complimentary to said reduced section of said eyeglass support element such that said eyeglass support element is restrained from rotation relative to said bores when the said elements are inserted within said bores, said elements being properly oriented with respect to said body panel upon insertion into said bores.

6. The display unit defined in claim 2 wherein each of said eyeglass support elements comprises a stem portion having at one end a reduced diameter section forming a shoulder which abuts the outer surface of said body panel when said reduced section is inserted through a bore disposed between said opposed apertures, the outermost end of said reduced section inwardly depressable to permit the insertion of said reduced end through said bore and expandable to lockingly engage said body panel.

7. The display unit defined in claim 6 wherein each of said eyeglass support elements further comprises at the forward end of the stem portion, a slot for receiving the bridge portion of a pair of eyeglasses and a radially upwardly extending post located at the upper end of said stem portion adjacent said slot for restraining said eyeglasses from movement from said slot toward said body panel.

8. The display unit defined in claim 6 wherein said body panel has a plurality of vertically spaced bores each of which is disposed in lateral arrangement between said opposed apertures, said bores each having a prising brace means disposed in a vertical plane and interconnecting the inner surfaces of said top flange, base flange and body panel said vertically disposed brace means being attached to said inner wall of said body panel at a location laterally spaced from the point at which said eyeglass support elements are carried by said body panel.

11. The display unit defined in claim 1 wherein said top flange and said base flange are integral projections of said body panel with said flanges being disposed in parallel planes which are inclined with respect to the plane within which said body panel is disposed.

12. The display unit defined in claim 11 further comprising brace means disposed in a vertical plane and interconnecting the inner surfaces of said top flange, base flange and body panel said vertically disposed brace means being attached to said inner wall of said body panel at a location laterally spaced from the point at which said eyeglass support elements are carried by said body panel.

13. The display unit defined in claim 1 further comprising support means releasably attachable to said base flange to support said display unit in said upright position.

14. A display unit for eyeglasses and the like, said display unit comprising:

a body panel having an integrally formed top flange extending behind said body panel for mounting said panel to a vertical wall, said body panel having an integrally formed base flange for supporting said body panel, said base flange being disposed in a plane which is inclined with respect to the plane within which said body panel is disposed; the perpendicular distance from the face of said body panel to the outer edge of said top flange being equal to the perpendicular distance from said body panel face to the outer edge of said base flange whereby said body panel is disposed in a vertical plane when said top flange edgeis attached to said vertical wall and said base flange edge rests against said vertical wall; and

means carried on the outer face of said body panel for supporting a plurality of eyeglasses for displaying the same. 

1. A display unit for eyeglasses and the like, said display unit comprising: a body panel having an integrally formed top flange extending behind said body panel for mounting said body panel to a vertical wall, said body panel having an integrally formed base flange extending behind said body panel for supporting said body panel in an upright position, said base flange being disposed in a plane which is inclined with respect to the plane within which said body panel is disposed, the perpendicular distance from the face of said body panel to the outer edge of said top flange being equal to the perpendicular distance from said body panel face to the outer edge of said base flange, whereby said body panel is disposed in a vertical plane when said top flange outer edge is attached to said vertical wall and said base flange outer edge rests against said vertical wall; said body panel having a plurality of vertically spaced pairs of opposed apertures; and a plurality of eyeglass support elements carried by said body panel at vertically spaced locations between each pair of opposed apertures.
 2. The display unit defined in claim 1 wherein said eyeglass support elements are each individually releasably attached to said body panel.
 3. The display unit defined in claim 2 wherein each of said eyeglass support elements comprises a stem portion having at one end a reduced diameter section forming a shoulder which abuts the outer surface of said body panel when said reduced section is inserted through a bore disposed between said opposed apertures the outermost end of said reduced section being threaded to receive a nut to securely attach said element to said body panel.
 4. The display unit defined in claim 3 wherein each of said eyeglass support elements further comprises at the forward end of the stem portion, an annular slot for receiving the bridge portion of a pair of eyeglasses and a radially upwardly extending post located at the upper end of said stem portion adjacent said annular slot for restraining said eyeglasses from movement from said annular slot toward said body panel.
 5. The display unit defined in claim 3 wherein said body panel has a plurality of vertically spaced bores each of which is disposed in lateral arrangement between said opposed apertures said bores each having a non-circular configuration complimentary to said reduced section of said eyeglass support element such that said eyeglass support element is restrained from rotation relative to said bores when the said elements are inserted within said bores, said elements being properly oriented with respect to said body panel upon insertion into said bores.
 6. The display unit defined in claim 2 wherein each of said eyeglass support elements comprises a stem portion having at one end a reduced diameter section forming a shoulder which abuts the outer surface of said body panel when said reduced section is inserted through a bore disposed between said opposed apertures, the outermost end of said reduced section inwardly depressable to permit the insertion of said reduced end through said bore and expandable to lockingly engage said body panel.
 7. The display unit defined in claim 6 wherein each of said eyeglass support elements further comprises at the forward end of the stem portion, a slot for receiving the bridge portion of a pair of eyeglasses and a radially upwardly extending post located at the upper end of said stem portion adjacent said slot for restraining said eyeglasses from movement from said slot toward said body panel.
 8. The display unit defined in claim 6 wherein said body panel has a plurality of vertically spaced bores each of which is disposed in lateral arrangement between said opposed apertures, said bores each having a non-circular configuration complimentary to said reduced section of said eyeglass support element such that said eyeglass support element is restrained from rotation relative to said bores when the said elements are inserted within said bores, said elements being properly oriented with respect to said body panel upon insertion into said bores.
 9. The display unit defined in claim 1 further comprising means for releasably attaching said top flange to said vertical wall.
 10. The display unit defined in claim 1 further comprising brace means disposed in a vertical plane and interconnecting the inner surfaces of said top flange, base flange and body panel said vertically disposed brace means being attached to said inner wall of said body panel at a location laterally spaced from the point at which said eyeglass support elements are carried by said body panel.
 11. The display unit defined in claim 1 wherein said top flange and said base flange are integral projections of said body panel with said flanges being disposed in parallel planes which are inclined with respect to the plane within which said body panel is disposed.
 12. The display unit defined in claim 11 further comprising brace means disposed in a vertical plane and interconnecting the inner surfaces of said top flange, base flange and body panel said vertically disposed brace means being attached to said inner wall of said body panel at a location laterally spaced from the point at which said eyeglass support elements are carried by said body panel.
 13. The display unit defined in claim 1 further comprising support means releasably attachable to said base flange to support said display unit in said upright position.
 14. A display unit for eyeglasses and the like, said display unit comprising: a body panel having an integrally formed top flange extending behind said body panel for mounting said panel to a vertical wall, said body panel having an integrally formed base flange for supporting said body panel, said base flange being disposed in a plane which is inclined with respect to the plane within which said body panel is disposed; the perpendicular distance from the face of said body panel to the outer edge of said top flange being equal to the perpendicular distance from said body panel face to the outer edge of said base flange whereby said body panel is disposed in a vertical plane when said top flange edge is attached to said vertical wall and said base flange edge rests against said vertical wall; and means carried on the outer face of said body panel for supporting a plurality of eyeglasses for displaying the same. 